As a supplier to the automotive industry, Gentner GmbH has specialised in the processing of technical plastics such as polyamides, polyacetals, polycarbonate blends and TPOs since the company was founded. By applying state-of-the-art injection moulding technologies, the company has grown from a simple injection moulding subcontractor into a competent, reliable and highly productive supplier of safety components for the automotive industry.
Ultra-modern production processes, such as multi-component injection moulding, the monosandwich process and gas injection moulding, are used to produce both technically and optically demanding parts. When it comes to safety components, the manufacturing and processing data must be verifiable for the specific parts for years after the component has been produced.
With this in mind, the company opted for the flexible print and apply labelling systems from the Domino M-Series, which provide each manufactured part with a label showing all of the data required to ensure full traceability.
Focus on safety
If a car crashes and its airbag does not open, the reason for this must be established. To do so, each airbag must be traceable.
To this end, Gentner purchased three Domino M200-T100 print and apply labelling systems with a precision applicator, which are installed next to the conveyor equipment on a floor stand at a labelling height of 1.80 m and used to mark the airbag housings. The housing to be labelled is removed from the injection moulding machine using a handling system and positioned in front of the label applicator with an accuracy of +/- 1 mm. As soon as the part is located in the defined labelling position, the customer system sends the printing data to the labelling system as a data telegram via the serial interface.
Labelling is then activated via a potential-free contact. In addition to the item and part number, the attached label also contains a 2D data matrix code, which in turn contains encrypted information about when and on which line the respective part was produced. Identification takes place at standstill. Once the label is applied, the 2D data matrix code is checked using a reader. If it cannot be read, the produced part continues no further in the manufacturing process.